- Seismic data from the Insight Lander revealed the existence of magma rivers beneath Mars’s crust.
- This discovery broadens the range of rocky planets potentially capable of supporting life.
- The interconnected magma system could have facilitated chemical processes necessary for generating an atmosphere and ocean.
Discovery of Magma Rivers
New research suggests that Mars once had rivers of magma bubbling beneath its crust, making it more probable that Mars could have supported life and widening the selection of rocky planets that may once have been habitable. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford using data gathered by NASA’s Insight Lander, which recorded seismic waves caused by meteorite impacts and Martian quakes.
The findings, published in Nature Astronomy, showed that a mysterious boundary deep underground, likely due to molten rock pooling and spreading over vast areas, suggested a more complex interconnected plumbing system than previously assumed. Scientists had believed volcanoes on Mars were underlain by simple isolated magma chambers, but this new evidence suggests a different geological structure.
This discovery implies a chemically diverse crust capable of recycling elements, which could support the processes needed to generate an atmosphere and ocean on the surface. This would also help regulate the planet's climate—previously thought only possible with plate tectonics. The implication is that rocky planets previously dismissed as uninhabitable due to their lack of plate tectonics now deserve a second look.
The new insight could have profound impacts on our understanding of planetary habitability beyond just Mars, highlighting the importance of ongoing exploration.
Source: The Guardian
Science Daily
113 posts
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